Organic sedimentary deposits in Titan’s dry lakebeds: Probable evaporite

Barnes, Jason W.; Bow, J.; Schwartz, Jacob; Brown, R. H.; Soderblom, Jason M.; Hayes, Alexander G.; Vixie, G.; Mouëlic, Stéphane Le; Rodríguez, S.; Sotin, C.; Jaumann, R.; Stephan, K.; Soderblom, Laurence A.; Clark, R. N.; Buratti, B. J.; Baines, K. H.; Nicholson, P. D.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.08.022

Cited by 105 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Its specific nature as dry lakebeds of evaporite, however, was only recently proposed [11]. We interpret that this area, too, represents an evaporitic dry-lake deposit.…”

Section: Yalaing Terramentioning

confidence: 58%

“…Subsequent Cassini observations showed that similar channels are seen globally on all types of Titan terrain [2][3][4][5][6][7]. While some channels terminate in broad alluvial fans, like those at the spot of Huygens' touchdown, others lead to polar seas [8,9] or dry lakebeds [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…This process would be related to evaporite formation [11], but is sufficiently distinct as to the chemicals involved that it might reasonably be expected to lead to different surface In this figure we compare the VIMS spectra of Hetpet Regio both before (blue) and after (dark red) the brightening in the wake of the 2010 September 27 cloudburst. To minimize the effects of differing observation geometry on atmospheric effects, we used an area near the change area from the same flyby, T76, for the 'before' baseline.…”

Section: One Instance Of Evaporite In Yalaingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Precipitation-induced surface brightenings seen on Titan by Cassini VIMS and ISS

et al. 2013

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Observations from Cassini VIMS and ISS show localized but extensive surface brightenings in the wake of the 2010 September cloudburst. Four separate areas, all at similar latitude, show similar changes: Yalaing Terra, Hetpet Regio, Concordia Regio, and Adiri. Our analysis shows a general pattern to the time-sequence of surface changes: after the cloudburst the areas darken for months, then brighten for a year before reverting to their original spectrum. From the rapid reversion timescale we infer that the process driving the brightening owes to a fine-grained solidified surface layer. The specific chemical composition of such solid layer remains unknown. Evaporative cooling of wetted terrain may play a role in the generation of the layer, or it may result from a physical grain-sorting process.

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“…Its specific nature as dry lakebeds of evaporite, however, was only recently proposed [11]. We interpret that this area, too, represents an evaporitic dry-lake deposit.…”

Section: Yalaing Terramentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: One Instance Of Evaporite In Yalaingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Precipitation-induced surface brightenings seen on Titan by Cassini VIMS and ISS

et al. 2013

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“…cryovolcanic origin Wood et al, 2007), forming topographic depressions in which lakes can exist, such as in terrestrial calderas (Acocella, 2007) or maars (Lorenz , 1986); 2. thermokarstic origin Mitchell et al, 2007;Harrisson, 2012), where the cyclic destabilization of a methane frozen ground would form topographic depressions, such as in periglacial areas on Earth where the permafrost cyclically freezes and thaws and forms thermokarst lakes, pingos or alases (French, 2007) ; 3. solutional origin Bourgeois et al, 2008;Mitchell , 2008;Mitchell and Malaska, 2011;Malaska et al, 2011;Barnes et al, 2011;Cornet et al, 2012), where processes analogous to terrestrial karstic dissolution create topographic depressions, such as terrestrial sinkholes/dolines, playas and pans under various climates (Shaw and Thomas, 2000;Ford and Williams, 2007).…”

Section: Geological Origin Of the Depressionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissolution on Titan and on Earth: Toward the age of Titan's karstic landscapes

et al. 2015

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Titan's polar surface is dotted with hundreds of lacustrine depressions. Based on the hypothesis that they are karstic in origin, we aim at determining the efficiency of surface dissolution as a landshaping process on Titan, in a comparative planetology perspective with the Earth as reference. Our approach is based on the calculation of solutional denudation rates and allow inference of formation timescales for topographic depressions developed by chemical erosion on both planetary bodies. The model depends on the solubility of solids in liquids, the density of solids and liquids, and the average annual net rainfall rates. We compute and compare the denudation rates of pure solid organics in liquid hydrocarbons and of minerals in liquid water over Titan and Earth timescales. We then investigate the denudation rates of a superficial organic layer in liquid methane over one Titan year. At this timescale, such a layer on Titan would behave like salts or carbonates on Earth depending on its composition, which means that dissolution processes would likely occur, but would be 30 times slower on Titan compared to the Earth due to the seasonality of precipitation. Assuming an average depth of 100 m for Titan's lacustrine depressions, these could have developed in a few tens of millions of years at polar latitudes higher than 70 • N and S, and a few hundreds of million years at lower polar latitudes. The ages determined are consistent with the youth of the surface (< 1 Gyr) and the repartition of dissolution-related landforms on Titan.

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“…Cryovolcanism on Titan has been suggested as a mechanism to replenish atmospheric methane [139,149]. New evidence suggests instead that these areas are correlated with evaporites, or dried-up lake bed sediments [12,106], commonly found in depressions, as are many volcanic deposits. Disentangling these origins, or choosing one over the other, remains a task in action.…”

Section: Huygensmentioning

confidence: 99%

AVIATR—Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance

et al. 2011

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We describe a mission concept for a stand-alone Titan airplane mission: Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance (AVI-ATR). With independent delivery and direct-to-Earth communications, AVI-ATR could contribute to Titan science either alone or as part of a sustained Titan Exploration Program. As a focused mission, AVIATR as we have envisioned it would concentrate on the science that an airplane can do best: exploration of Titan's global diversity. We focus on surface geology/hydrology and lower-atmospheric structure and dynamics. With a carefully chosen set of seven instruments-2 near-IR cameras, 1 near-IR spectrometer, a RADAR altimeter, an atmospheric structure suite, a haze sensor, and a raindrop detector-AVIATR could accomplish a significant subset of the scientific objectives of the aerial element of flagship studies. The AVIATR spacecraft stack is composed of a Space Vehicle (SV) for cruise, an Entry Vehicle (EV) for entry and descent, and the Air Vehicle (AV) to fly in Titan's atmosphere. Using an Earth-Jupiter gravity assist trajectory delivers the spacecraft to Titan in 7.5 years, after which the AVIATR AV would operate for a 1-Earthyear nominal mission. We propose a novel 'gravity battery' climb-then-glide strategy to store energy for optimal use during telecommunications sessions. We would optimize our science by using the flexibility of the airplane platform, generating context data and stereo pairs by flying and banking the AV instead

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Organic sedimentary deposits in Titan’s dry lakebeds: Probable evaporite

Cited by 105 publications

References 28 publications

Precipitation-induced surface brightenings seen on Titan by Cassini VIMS and ISS

Precipitation-induced surface brightenings seen on Titan by Cassini VIMS and ISS

Dissolution on Titan and on Earth: Toward the age of Titan's karstic landscapes

AVIATR—Aerial Vehicle for In-situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance

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